Safety starting device.



N. R. POTTER. SAFETY STARTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APILI, 1912.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

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tirtnn STATES PATENT ornion.

NATHANIEL R. POTTER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SAFETY STARTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5,1912.

Application filed April 1, 1912. Serial No. 687,931.

Starting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety-devices for use in connection with manually-opera-.

ble'cranka, or other means. by which internal-combustion engines are started. and the invention is particularly appli-able to the construction, and reliable in operation. and

which may be readily applied to exist ing starting-cranks without reconstruction thereof. I I

A particular object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whi h will permit the operator to rotate the crank treelyin the reverse direction. as is Frequently convenient. without any inconvenient operation to release pawls or similar devices. and with-' in Fig. l: and Fig. 3-? is a detail-view of the cam'member .by whit the crank is disconnected from the engine-shaft.

In the illustrated embodiment of the inventr n I employ a hand-crank 10 and a crank-shaft ll of ordinary form, the shaft being provided. at its inner end, with any one of the usual clutch devices for connectin;; the hand-crank with the engine-shalt.

Fixed in the crank-shaft ll is a t'lnfiwllill 16, of whi h the ends coiipcrat'c with inclincd'slots 17 in a sleeve lb. This sleeve mounted loosely upon the shaft. so that it'u'niyi-nove thereon both rotatirclv and longitudinally. Such n'ioveiucnt directed and limited, however, by the pinau d-slot' connections. so that the shaft. the pin and the sleeve constitute a cam-mechanism. of which both the relative rotative u'iovcincnts and the relative longitudinal movements are limited by the engagement of the pin with the ends of the slots.

Integral with the right-hand end otthe sleeve 18 isa clutch-memberl9. which is provided with a series of inclined recesses or sockets 20, as shown in Figsi 2 and 3. This clutch-member t9 coiiperates with an annular clutch-member 21, by means of halls 22 which arecarried loosely in the sockets and constitute rolling friction-menibcrs. The member 21 is fastened to the framemember 15 by screws 33, which pass through lugs '23 in the member 21, thus fixing it against rotation.

A cylindrical shell 24 is fastened to the crank-shaft ll by engagement with the ends of the pin 16. and this shell extends inwardly. in engagelnentwith the inner sur-- taco ot a casing 36. This casingls screwed into the clutell-member 21. and it constitutes a hearing to support the crank-shaft through the intcrmediatimi ot the shell 24. and also a closure to prevent the ingress of dust or water to the lneclninism. The shell 24 provides an abutment for one end of a, compression-s1)ring of which the other end engages the end of the sleeve 18. This spring tends. accordingly, to move the sleeve 18 and its clutch-ineuihcr 19 imvarilly. and to hold the elements of the cani-iueclmnisn'i in the relative position illustrated in Fig I.

To use the starting-device. above described the operator first presses inwardly againstthe crank 10, in the usual manner. to cause theolhtch-member 12 to engage the cross pin. 13. The resulting longitudinal movement of the crank-shaft causes the cross-pin 16 totrayerse the slots 17. and accordingly the pin 16 reaches the righthand or inner ends of the slots, While the spring 25 is compressed between the shell 2t and the sleeve 18. The operator next turns the crank to the right, in the usual manner. to rotate the engine-shaft. During this movement the pin 16 causes the sleeve 18 to roratchets and similar devices have been used tate, and the balls 22 slide idly over the surface of the clutch-member 21, this movement being permitted by the arrangement of the sockets 20 as shown. During such movement, however, a flange 26 on the sleeve 18 acts to maintain the balls in frictional engagement with a flange 27 on the clutchmember 21., the balls thus supporting the entire longitudinal thrust of the spring 25. Accordingly, if a reverse rotation or backkick occurs in the engine-shaft, the corresponding reverse rotation of the crank-shaft and the sleeve 18 causes the balls to roll at once to the shallow portions of the sockets so as. to pinch between the elutch-meml'iers 19 and 21. The reverse rotation of the sleeve is thus at once arrested, and the pin 16 then traverses the slots 17 in areverse or left-hand direction, the cam-mechanism thus acting positively to slide the crank-shaft outwardly and thus to disengage. the clutchmember 12 from the pin 13. The angle of rotation rcquiredfor this action is slight, and the starting-crank is thus disengaged from the engine before it is rotated in a re verse direction through a sufiicient space to cause injury to the operator, and it is not permitted to rotate even under its momentum alone after having been disengaged from the engine, but is positively stopped.

For convenience in assembling the mechanism, I employ an annular ball-retainer 28 which is provided with a series of perforations through which the balls project to engage the clutch-member 21.

In addition to the reliable and almost instantaneous action of this improved ballclutch, it has the further advantage of being entirely noiseless, and the present construction is thus distinguished from previous devices, of the same general type, in which for in such constructions the ratchets make a loud clicking noise when the hand-crank is turned in the direction to start the engine; a feature which is highly objectionable, and which has largely contributed to rendering such prcviousdevices valuelcss.

As it is frequently desirable to be able to turn the starting-crank backwardly, in order to bringit into a posit-ion where it may be conveniently manipulated in starting the engine, the present construction is so arranged that the ball-clutch may be thrown out of operation in a convenient and simple manner to permit the crank to be freely rotated in a left-hand direction. To this end a space is provided in front of the flange 26, as shown in Fig. 1, this space terminating in a shoulder 30 on the casing 36. 'IViththe parts in their normal position, as in Fig.1, if the starting-c ank be pulled forwardly the pin 16 draws the sleeve 18 in the same direction, and thus slides the balls 22 forwardly away from the clutch-seat in the gageahle by a continuation of member 21, this movement being arrested by engagement of the flange 26 with the shoulder 30. With the parts of the ballclutch so disengaged the crank may be freely rotated in either direction. In order that the clutch-balls may be held in position to move freely back into engagement with the clutch-surface, a ring 29 is loosely journalcd in the space between the clutch-member 21 and the inner end of the casing 36. The inside diameter of this ring is equal to that of the clutch-member. 21. Accordingly, the balls will roll or slide freely from one of these parts to the other. \Vhen they are in engagement with the ring 29 it is unmatcrial whether or not they pinch against this ring, since it is free to rotate, and the start- -mg-cn'ank cannot, therefore, be locked when in its forward position.

In one-direction clutches of the type which I employ it is usually Found necessary to employ springs engaging the individual balls or rollers and tending conslantly to force them into operative relation to the clutch-members. I11 the present construction, however, owing to the frictional action before described between the balls, the flange 26, and the surface 27, the necessity for such springs is entirely dispensed with. In fact, the spring 25 performs the double function of maintaining the coupling-members l2 and 13 normally out of engagement, and of tansing the balls 22 to act, and'in this manner I am able to produce a very simple mechanism in which only a single spring is employed.

My invention is not limited to the embodiment thereof hercinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but may be embodied in various other forms within the nature of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A starting-device for internal-combustion engines having, in combination, a manually-rotatable shaft provided with a coupling-member adapted to be engaged with, and disengaged from, a cooperating member on an engine; a sleeve concentric with said shaft and having, a cam-connection therewith adapted to positively limit relative rotation and relative longitudinal movement of'the shaft and the sleeve. and to produce, when the shaft and the sleeve are relatively rotated in one direction. a longicoupling-members are disengaged; and mechanism for preventing reverse rotation of the sleeve, said mechanism being disensuch longitudinal movement. of the shaft.

2. A startingdevice for internal-combust-ionengines having, in combination, a manually-rotatable shaft provided witha coupling-member adapted to be engaged with,

.tndinal movement ofthe shaft whereby the and disengaged from, a cooperating member on an engine; a sleeve concentric with said shaft and having a cam-connection coupling-members are disengaged, the sleeve being provided with one member of a onedirection clutch-mechanism; a cooperating memberpf said mechanism fixed against rotation; and a spring connecting the shaft 5 andthe sleeve and tending to produce relative longitudinal movement of said parts whereby the coupling-members are disen- ,gaged, the sleeve being longitudinally movable by a continuation of such longitudinal a movement of the shaft to throw said clutchmechanism. out of cooperative relation and permit the shaft to be freely rotated in a re- 'verse direction. v 3.- A starting'device for internal-combus- 335 tion-engines having, in combination, a manually-rotatable shaft provided with a conplingmember adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from a cotiperating member on a engine; a sleeve movable longitu- 3 dinally "and rotatable on the shaft and having team-connection therewith adapted to produce, when the shaft and'the sleeve are relatively rotated in one direction, a longitudinal movement of the shaft whereby the coupling-members are disengaged; a onedirection clutch having an outer member and an inner member of which one is fixed while the other is rotative with the sleeve, one of said members being provided with a 4 series of inclined sockets and a series of rolling friction-members therein, and the other'clutch-member 1 having a smooth annular surface engaged by the friction-members; and a' freely rotatable annular-mem- 5-ber adjacent the clutch-members and having a bearing-surface substantially continuous with said smooth annular surface; one -frlutcli-member being movable outwardly, through its connections with the manuallyrotatable shaft, whereby the rolling frictionmembers may be caused to disengage said smooth clutch-surface and engage the freelyrotatable annular member, thus permitting the shaft to be freely rotated in either direction while the friction-members are held in. position to freely reengage the smooth clutch-surface.

4. Astartmg-de'vice for internal-combustion engines having, in combinatlon, a manuall \;'-rotatablc shaftprovidcd with a coupling-member adapted to be engaged with,

and disengaged from, a cooperating member on an engine; a sleeve concentric with said shaft and having a cam-connectlon there- 35 with adapted to produce, when the shaft andthe sleeve are relatively rotated in one direction, a longitudinal-movement of the shaft whereby the 'ccupling-members a re dis engaged; a one-direction clutch of which the inner member is fixed to said sleeve and provided with a series of inclined sockets;

an outer clutch-member having a clutch-surface opposed to said sockets, rolling friction-members located in the sockets, and a freely-rotatable ring adjacent the outer clutch-member and having an inner bearingsurface of substantially the same diameter as said clutch-surface, the inner clutch-member being movable outwardly, through its connections with the manuall -rotatable shaft, whereby the rolling friction-members may be drawn out of engagement with said clutch-surface and into engagement with the inner surface of said ring, thus permitting the shaft to be freely rotated in either direction.

5. A starting-device for internalcombustion engines having, in con'ibinatioma manually-rotatable shaft provided with a coupling-member" adapted to be engaged with, and disengaged from, a cooperating member on an engine; a sleeve concentric with said shaftand having a cam-connection therewith adapted to produce, when the shaft and the sleeve are relatively rotated in one direction, a longitudinal movement of the shaft whereby the coupling-members are disengaged; a one-direction clutch of which one member is fixed to said sleeve and the other member is fixed, in stationary position, concentric therewith, said members being cooperatively connected by friction-balls and having bearing-surfaces between which the balls may be frietionally engaged through relative longitudinal movement of the clutch-members; and a compression-spring surrounding said shaft, one end of the spring bearing against said sleeve and the other end being connected with the shaft, the spring tending normally to hold the shaft in its outer positiom'in which the couplingmembers are disengaged and acting also, when-the shaft is pushed inwardly, to force said learing-surfaces into frictional engagement with the clutch-balls whereby the operation'of the balls is frictionally controlled to cause them to roll into operative engagementbetween the clutch-members when reverserotatio n .occurs in' the sleeve.

6. A starting-device for internal-combustion engines having, in combination, a manuallv-r0tatable shaft provided with a coupling.member adapted to be engaged with, and disengaged from, a cooperating member on an engine; a cross-pin in said shaft; a sleeve-loosely mounted on the shaft and having inclined slots engaging said pin whereby relative rotative movements of the sleeve and shaft in one direction cause a relative longitudinal movement thereof; a shell mounted upont-he 'sheftand secured thereto by engagement with the ends of said pin, the shell loosely inclosing the outer end of the sleeve 5- a eompressioirspring surrounding thesheft and inclosed Within said shell, one end of the spring engaging the outer end of the sleeve; a. rotatable clutch-member integral with the inner end of the sleeve'end provided with a series of inclined sockets and with a flange adjevent said sockets; an annular stationary c v-- inher surrounding the shaft end. having an internal clutchsurface concentric with the rotatable clutchmeniheiand a second surface opposed to the inner surface of said flange; and frictionbulls seated in saidsoekets end Amt-9A loperatively connect the elutch-mc1nbcrs, said spring acting, when the shaft is pressed inwardly, to force the sleeve inwardly whereby the balls are frictionally engaged between said flange and said opposed surface, so that upon reverse-rotation of the rotatable members the balls are caused frictionelly to roll toward the shallower parts of the sockets and thus to pinch between the 25 clutch-members and arrest such reverse-rotuition of the sleeve.

NA'lli XNIEL R. PtfllER. Vlfitnesses D. Gunman, L, Triton, 

